How to Find the Right Fluid Dispenser for Low-Viscosity Flea Medicine

A Success Story

Beaphar needed a faster, more accurate way to fill blister packs with a low-viscosity anti-flea solution. The pet health care company’s previous method was messy, time consuming, and inconsistent.

The xQR41V needle valve from Nordson EFD provided the precise and repeatable fluid dispensing needed to speed production with less waste and cleanup. It also offered the versatility required to fill packs of various sizes reliably with minimal process adjustments.

EFD worked with Endress+Hauser to integrate our valves into its flow metering system for this project.

Here are a few more details about this application.

Fluid Used

Low-viscosity ethanol-based solution

Application Requirements

Dispensing accurate amounts of anti-flea solution into blister packs and pipettes of varying sizes.

Previous Process

The old process involved six pumps with an outlet. The process was slow and inaccurate. In addition, operators had to weigh the blister packs manually on a scale to make sure the right amount was dispensed. This added to the production time.

Issues with Previous Process

The low-viscosity solution was difficult to control because it flowed so aggressively. Beaphar’s previous equipment couldn’t measure and adjust the flow to fill packaging of various sizes. This led to splashing, significant fluid waste, and inconsistent fills. It also slowed production since it took so long to fill any size of packaging with the right amount of fluid.

Solution

• xQR41V needle valves
• BackPack valve actuators
• SmoothFlow tapered dispense tips

Results

Switching from a pump and outlet system to a precision fluid dispensing and flow metering system significantly increased throughput yields for the pet health care company. After taking the time to understand the application challenges and desired outcome, EFD provided the right fluid dispenser and accessories to make the application a success.

We tested three different valves before determining the xQR41V with a BackPack actuator would produce the best results.

Further testing concluded:

• 14 ga tapered tips worked best when filling 8 ml packs
• 16 ga tapered tips worked best when filling 4 ml packs
• 18 ga tapered tips worked best when filling 2 ml packs

xQR41V’s small form factor allowed the pet health care company to mount multiple valves to increase throughput. When paired with the BackPack actuator, the valve delivered the fast cycle rate required to meet production demands.

Combined with unique features such as the xQR41V’s Quick Release (QR) clasp, which reduces downtime required to service the valve, the new system is helping Beaphar not only save the time it takes to dispense the right amount, but also the time it takes to maintain the system.

Have a question about this dispensing application? Don’t hesitate to request expert help or contact us at [email protected].

Christian Hermans

Christian Hermans is a Sales Manager at Nordson EFD. He helps manufacturers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Israel find the best possible precision fluid dispensing system for their applications. Christian has more than two years of dispensing expertise. He joined Nordson EFD in 2016.